Police Recover Wanyama’s Vehicle After Robbery

Wanyama only learnt of the burglary when he returned home at around 3am UK time (5am Kenyan time) on Tuesday after featuring against Aston Villa

British Police Tuesday recovered Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama’s car in London at around 11am Kenyan time (9am UK time), hours after the Sh8 million-worth Range Rover SUV was stolen alongside the player’s personal belongings at his home in Winchester.

Wanyama was not at his five bed-roomed house, situated some 125km away from London at the time of the incident, as he was featuring for his team – Southampton FC – in Monday night’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham, some 235km away.

“My heart skipped a beat when I noticed the car missing at the parking lot. But more shock awaited me when I accessed the house. They (burgers) accessed the house through my garden at the backyard, they broke the back window and came in…” Wanyama told Kenyan Daily Nation.

According to Daily Mail, a shirt from Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta, many of his Celtic mementos and designer clothes and more than 20 pairs of shoes were among the items taken alongside, furniture, television sets and electrical items.

Wanyama, 23, lives in a small housing complex and police are understood to be surprised that neighbours were not alerted by the noise of the burglars.

Wanyama has made 14 appearances this season and scored three goals as Southampton continue their challenge for European qualification. He was the most expensive player sold by a Scottish club when Celtic cashed in to the tune of £12.5m in 2013.

Wanyama is the latest in a series of Premier League players whose homes have been raided. Former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole’s Surrey pad was burgled when he was away on England duty and team-mate Frank Lampard was robbed in 2005.

Former Arsenal players Nwankwo Kanu and Marc Overmars had homes in North London targeted. And Thierry Henry’s cleaner was tied up by thieves during a raid at his home in Hampstead when he played for the club.

Masked robbers broke into Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s £3million mansion and snatched thousands of pounds worth of jewellery in front of his wife Alex Curran. He was away in France playing against Marseille in 2007.

Six other Liverpool players, including former striker Peter Crouch, Pepe Reina and Dirk Kuyt have also had their homes targeted. Three hooded robbers kicked down the front door of Manchester United star Darren Fletcher’s house before threatening his fiance Hayley Grice with a knife.

Everton defender Phil ­Jagielka was held at knife-point at his Cheshire home and forced to hand over jewellery and the keys to his Range Rover.­